A Taste of the Vanishing Old Beijing

Ji House. [Photo:China.org.cn]

This long alley leads to the Ji House. [Photo: China.org.cn]

Known as Beijing's finest siheyuan (courtyard) hotel, the Ji House is a four-star hotel tucked away in a traditional hutong alley. Set in a beautiful Beijing courtyard, the hotel has a long and rich history. During the Yuan Dynasty. it served as a gold and silver jewel market; it was also where the revered poet Shen Congwen used to live.

In the old days, every courtyard in Beijing had a small goldfish pond. Fruits and vegetables were grown in the courtyard. The Ji House, complete with a goldfish pond and date tree, offers visitors the chance to experience the tranquility of a traditional Beijing courtyard.

The courtyard has six rooms, divided according to old Beijing tradition: the North Room, East Room, East-wing Room, West-wing Room, West Room South and West Room North. The manager of the hotel said, "I want to give my guests the ancient Beijing courtyard experience. So I made the South Room the lobby and dining room. According to tradition, the south room is not important and is usually the foyer." There is also a cellar. Traditionally, the cellar is used to store items, but it has now been turned into a club, where guests can catch a Chinese zither performance, taste quality wine, or drink Chinese Gongfu tea. The 2009 winter special price of the hotel is 590-790 yuan/night (valid until March 31, 2009).